Dear members

please be aware that this Sunday we have the national training and the referee seminar. The national training is not a national team training, but an open keiko for all iaido practitioners.

The referee seminar is mandatory to be selected as a referee for the Belgian Iaido Championships.
We also need iaidoka to help at this referee seminar for the shiai geiko.

Last weekend, the 13th of March 2022 the Belgian Kendo Championships for Dan grades were held in Braine l’Alleud. After having to postpone the championships for 2 years, we were finally able to continue our events and championships. Thanks to the dojo I Shin Den Shin and the BKR for the organization of this championship, the day was a success with nice kendo and happy kendoka.

Congratulations to all medalists!

Individuals Junior :

1^st place :  Takeshi BOFFA (Wakakoma Kenshi Kai)
2^nd place: Siep Van Heugten (Kojika)
3^rd places: Mattia Spaepen (Wakakoma Kenshi Kai) & Sakura Haeke (Kojika)

Fighting Spirit: Miki Dargent (Meibukan Liège)

Individual Ladies:

1^st place: Lisa Van Laecken (Kenseikan)
2^nd place: Freija D’Hont (Kojika)
3^rd places: Sara Van Laecken (Kenseikan) & Keyong-Seon Cha (Seishinkan)

Fighting Spirit: Patricia Lopes (Meibukan BXL) & Soumaya Boujraf (Butokukan)

Individual Men:

1^st place: Kensaku Maemoto (Wakakoma Kenshi Kai)
2^nd place: Kota Kurogi (Wakakoma Kenshi Kai)
3^rd places: Sean Van Laecken (Kenseikan) & Yusuke Nakamura (Wakakoma Kenshi Kai)

Fighting Spirit: Manuel Aldania (Butokukan) & Jérémy Chevaux (Meibukan Liège)

Team tournament:

1^st place: Wakakoma Kenshi Kai (2)
2^nd place: Kenseikan
3^rd places: I Shin Den Shin & Wakakoma Kenshi Kai (1)

Fighting Spirit: Fabrice Renneson (Kendo Club Charleroi)

Find below the program for the BKC 2022 this year in Braine L’Alleud.

Click this link to download the program: BKC-2022-Program

Please print your own copy and for your club members .There will be only printed copy’s available for the referee’s.

Due to Friday’s “Codeco” of our government, it was necessary for ABKF to adapt again to the organization of its 2021 edition of the Winter Seminar.
Besides the fact of trying to keep the health of participants correct, we also try to maintain as much as possible the organization of the examinations in good circumstances for all.

Due to the nature of the practice of Iaido and Jodo, this hasn’t had any impact on the already decided modifications taken last week. Only the moment for the Jodo exams changed a little but if everyone (Jodo) is present at the sports center from the start of the seminar, no big issues are foreseen.

Candidates for any exam who haven’t paid their inscription fees at 12/12 will be removed from the lists. Be aware of that!

The biggest changes are for the kendo related part of the seminar:

• To avoid too large groups in training, we ask those who are not directly involved with any kendo exam to refrain to join the sports center. Of course, any junior attending the exam that day can be accompanied but in the limits set up by the government (2 persons). If any member is driving for other examination related member, he can join the practice since spectators are not allowed by the government.  
• To allow a secured ventilation of the hall and avoid large rows, we have decided to split the exams in different sessions preceded by a training of +/- 1 hour to have a safe warming-up of all candidates. This training is free of charge. Those who already paid for the seminar will be refunded by bank once the weekend is over. Please read carefully the new schedule for Sunday and please avoid to arrive too early (kendo 4th & 5th candidates) or leave late (kendo ikkyu to 3rd dan candidates) the sport hall.

Kendo schedule:

• ikkyu to 3rd dan candidates: training from 09h30 to 10h30 and exams starts at 11h15
• 4th & 5th dan candidates: training from 13h00 to 14h00 and exams starts at 14h30

Find the updated schedule here:
https://www.abkfevents.be/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/ABKF_Seminar_Agenda_2021Winter_Updated_202112003.pdf

Additional information to all participants:

• Face masks are mandatory when entering the sport center and during training. Only chirurgical or FFP2 masks will be accepted during practice. Chirurgical masks will be available at ABKF desk for free.
• When wearing “men” in kendo, instead of a face mask, the use of a specific plastic “face shield” (minimum lower part) is the only option to avoid wearing the face mask. As soon as the “men” is taken off, the person is supposed to wear again its face mask.
• Follow all instructions given by our staff members. In case of no respect, instructions are given to evacuate the “trouble makers”. Please make the job for everyone easy…
• For Jury and staff members, ABKF will provide a FFP2 mask.

In case you would like to cancel your participation, please inform us as soon as possible by sending an email to the ABKF President, Secretary & Treasurer. We will refund your payment as long as the request arrives before 17/12/2021. 

See you all in excellent health very soon! 

Dear friends

The unprecedented period, in which “everything changed”, has continued to evolve. The Belgian government and its experts are asking us to limit our contacts and thus our social activities. We hoped to be able to organize the annual winter seminar under somewhat modified circumstances, without the presence of a Japanese delegation, but with peace of mind. We’re not there yet. To ensure maximum safety for all our members and their guests while providing access to visible progress; we are forced to shorten this year’s schedule.

Please find the updated schedule in the original post about the winter seminar:
https://www.abkfevents.be/abkf-winter-seminar-2021/

The message from our president can be found here:

NL version: https://www.abkfevents.be/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Covid-related-info-Win-Sem-2021_NL.pdf
EN version: https://www.abkfevents.be/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Covid-related-info-Win-Sem-2021_EN.pdf
FR version: https://www.abkfevents.be/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Covid-related-info-Win-Sem-2021_FR.pdf

Dear ABKF members

Please find the following letter from our president, Serge Hendrickx, regarding the still ongoing pandemic.
Stay safe and be aware of the necessary precautions.

https://www.abkfevents.be/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/covid-related-info-for-dojo-Oct-2021_FR.pdf
https://www.abkfevents.be/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/covid-related-info-for-dojo-Oct-2021_NL.pdf

Dear members

please find the message from the newly appointed FIK president, Yasuhiro Inagawa, on the following PDF:
https://www.abkfevents.be/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Message-from-the-FIK-President.pdf